Misunderstandings
by BrandiAlyssa
Summary: Hermione is fed up with Harry disappearing. When she confronts him about it, things don't come up as she thought. A talk with her mother and a confession lead her back to where she belongs.


"That's it!" Hermione said loudly. Harry looked up from where he was putting his shoes on.

"What's it, Mione?"

"Don't you 'Mione' me. Every Sunday morning for the last two months, you've disappeared somewhere for hours. You won't tell me where you go. I know you don't go to work; I've tried showing up to surprise you and no one's seen you all day. You don't go to the Burrow or to Godric's Hollow. If-if I'm not who you want any more, just tell me instead of going behind my back." Tears pricked at her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "If you want someone prettier than me, sportier, or whatever, just break up with me now and leave me be."

"Merlin, Mione, no."

"Then where do you go, Harry? Because from here that's what it looks like. You don't have to cheat on me."

Anger and hurt flashed across his face before it became carefully blank. He took her hand and pulled her towards the door. "Fine. I'll show you where I've been going." He stopped only long enough for her to tug on her shoes before side-apparating her.

She stumbled briefly when they landed, only to be pulled along again. Brown eyes widened as she recognized where they were. "Harry, why—"

"You wanted to know where I've been. I'm showing you." Releasing her hand, he rapped hard on the door of a tan two-story.

"Harry!" said a woman as she opened the door. "You're—Hermione?"

Hermione stood in shock as she looked at the woman in the door. It was her mother. "Mum?"

"I'm sorry, Emma," Harry said. "I don't think I'll be staying for brunch today. This is what I wanted to show you." He handed her a small black pouch. "I have to go." He disappeared on the spot with only a small crack.

Emma Granger took in her wide eyed daughter and the pouch in her hand. "Hermione Jean Granger, what was that about?"

"I…" She swallowed hard. "I think I just royally screwed up."

"Come in and tell me what happened." Emma directed her daughter into the kitchen and made them a pot of tea. "Now what happened?"

Hermione took a fortifying drink of her tea before she spoke. "Harry's been disappearing every Sunday for two months. I thought at first he was pulling an extra day at work, but when I brought him lunch one day, he wasn't there. No one had seen him all day. I kept it to myself until today. I couldn't take it anymore and I let my brain rule my heart. I told him I was fed up and if he was going to cheat on me he might as well leave." The tears she refused to let fall earlier fell now. "I had no idea he was coming here."

"You weren't supposed to know." Emma opened the pouch and dumped it into her hand. She smiled sadly before handing the object to Hermione. "He has been visiting to get to know your father and me before he gave you this."

Hermione looked down at the object in her hand. It was a beautiful gold ring. Centered on top was a round emerald with two round diamonds on either side. One hand covered her mouth as she realized what that ring meant. He'd been working up to ask her parents for their blessing. "What have I done?" she whispered to herself.

Emma closed Hermione's hand around the ring. "You might be able to fix this. The young man I've come to love has a big heart and he knows you amazingly well. And he loves you, with everything he is. Do you know where he would have gone?"

The witch thought for a moment. "I do." She took one last drink of her tea, kissed her mother's cheek, and stood, the ring held tightly in her hand. "Thank you, Mum. I'll bring him back."

"You do that. And tell him, if he forgives you and still wants this, that he has our blessing."

Hermione didn't bother leaving the house, opting to apparate from where she stood. She reappeared in the village of Godric's Hollow. Little had changed since the Christmas she and Harry visited in 1997. She followed the worn road to the little church and then through the kissing gate. Quiet footsteps led her to a spot just a few spaces from the graves of James and Lily Potter. Kneeling in front of them, his head bowed, was Harry.

He hadn't heard her approach and sat, defeated, talking to his parents. Tears slipped down his cheeks. "I don't know what I did to make her think I was being unfaithful. I love her so much that the mere thought of doing that hurts. I wanted to do it right. I wanted her parents blessing. I might have pushed her away now and that kills me."

"Harry." He jerked around, staring wide-eyed at her. "You haven't pushed me away. I—" She looked down at the ring in her hand and took a deep breath. "I'm an insecure idiot that followed her head instead of her heart. I know you would never cheat on me or anything like that, but I doubted myself and you. If I know nothing else about you, I should know to never doubt you. I just hope that my stupidity hasn't lost me you forever." Tears slipped down her face as she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, for whatever you take those words as, but I'm so sorry. I'd understand if-if you really were done after this." She remained silent as she waited for his response, his rejection, anything.

"Hermione Jean Granger." She jumped. She hadn't heard him approach and now he was standing right in front of her. "I should have told you what I was doing. I just wanted to surprise you."

"Consider me surprised," she whispered. Thumbs brushed away her tears and her eyes fluttered open. She stared up at him, brown to green. She was hoping but not expecting much.

"I meant what I said. Even the thought of being unfaithful hurts."

"I was stupid to even think such a thing."

A smile finally tugged at Harry's lips. "How about we call us both idiots and be done?"

Her lips mirrored his. "I think we can do that. Forgive me?"

"Only if you forgive me."

"Done." He kissed her softly to seal the deal.

Gentle fingers tugged at hers and took the ring. "I didn't actually get to ask your parents, but if you want this and me, they're yours."

"Hey," he looked up at her, "Mum said that if I could beg your forgiveness, then you have their blessing."

"Then I guess we have their blessing. Will you, Hermione Jean, marry me?"

She looked down at the marble headstones beside them. "Do you think your parents would give their blessing?"

A warm wind wrapped around them, tugging gently at their hair and clothes but leaving everything else undisturbed. "I think that's a yes," Harry smiled.

"Then consider this a yes too." She reached up with her right hand and tugged him down for a kiss. She pulled only a breath away. "Yes, Harry James, I'll marry you."

Harry slipped the ring on her finger before wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her once again. The warm breeze enveloped them before dissipating. "I think we should tell your mum."

"Probably. But first…" Hermione drew her wand and pointed it at the Potters' graves. Moving her wand in a tight circle she conjured up a wreath of dark pink roses and daisies. "Gratitude and patience and love."

"Thank you." They both smiled at the flowers before disappearing with a pop.


End file.
